Family Conference
by Candi Cox
Summary: The Weasleys are having a family conference which happens to be overheard by two people who shouldn't have heard it. Fluffy little oneshot in which Fleur and Tonks come to an understanding of sorts. PreHBP


"What's up with Tonks lately?"

"I don't know. She's been depressed ever since Sirius died."

"Do you think she could have been in love with Sirius?"

"He was her cousin or something!"

"These families inbreed all the time."

"George!"

"Sorry, Mum, but it's true."

"He's right, you know."

"Must you boys always side with each other?"

"Yeah."

"Why don't we set Tonks up with Bill?"

"He's engaged!"

"So? They'd be perfect together. And I'd rather have Tonks as a sister-in-law than that awful French girl."

"Ron!"

"Sorry, but it's true."

"Though being in the same family as her would have some perks."

"Like if we ever wanted to extend the family, and she had some cousins or something. I wouldn't mind meeting her cousins."

"I still think we should try to set Bill up with Tonks."

"Yeah, I agree. I'm sure Tonks could morph into a French girl if we asked her to. And I'll bet she likes Bill, she just doesn't want to admit it because it's so soon."

"How do you know she likes Bill?"

"Girls like Tonks always fall for the ones with the earrings. And she took Bill to that concert once."

"She was about seventeen, and it was only because she was so insulted that he'd never heard of the band."

"Oh."

There was a crash and a thud. The portrait screamed. A stream of curse words threatened to drown her out.

"Tonks?"

"Gosh, I'm sorry. Am I interrupting something?"

"No, not at all. We were just waiting for the meeting to begin. You're early."

She forced a smile. "I just felt it was better to lay around doing nothing here than at home. I'm going to make some tea. Would anyone else care for some?"

"Do you want me to do it, dear?"

"No, it's fine, Molly. I'll do it." She walked to the kitchen, surprised to find Fleur standing there. She had already boiled some water. Tears had welled up in her light-blue eyes.

"Is everything all right, Fleur?"

"Were you listening to their family meeting?"

"Yeah. I was there for awhile."

"Then you'll know that everything isn't all right. They hate me and they want you to marry the man I love. Bill doesn't care that you can turn your face around. We love each other. I won't let you steal him so don't even try. No clumsy little Brit can take my fiancée away."

"Fleur, do you honestly think I want to marry Bill?"

"Who wouldn't want to marry Bill?"

"I wouldn't. There's someone else, someone who I love more. Bill is a friend. That's it."

"Who is it that you love?"

Just then, a graying man in worn robes came downstairs. He smiled at them both. "Good afternoon, Fleur, Nymphadora."

"Hi," Tonks muttered. Much to her embarrassment, she felt her hands shake.

"Is everything okay? You're rather pale and shaky today," he said.

"Oh yes, Remus, everything is perfectly lovely," she spat. "Don't you have some sort of a dangerous mission to be on?"

"No, actually, I just came down for some tea."

"Three's a crowd. I'm leaving." Tonks stormed upstairs. The drama was disrupted when she tripped up the stairs and landed facedown on the dusty carpet.

"I think I'll go see if she's all right," Fleur said apologetically to Lupin before dashing over to Tonks.

"What's going on? Lupin didn't deserve that," Fleur said once she and Tonks were upstairs.

"Yeah, he did. He's always saying that his life is too dangerous for me anyway."

"Why don't you tell me what's really going on. Though I think I have a pretty good guess."

"I'm not in love with Sirius like everyone thinks. I mean, I loved him and I'm sad over his death of course but that's not why I've been so down. I've even lost my Metamorphogus powers and my Patronus changed. It's all because I love Remus so much. I've always loved him, and I thought he loved me too. When I finally told him, he made up all these excuses for why we couldn't be together."

Fleur sighed. "Why, of all people, did you have to pick Remus?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"He's got walls three feet thick built up around him."

"Cut the metaphors out. I haven't had my caffeine hit today."

Fleur smiled. Her teeth were shiny and white as an iceberg. "I mean, he won't let anyone close. You'd be better off moving on."

"You think I don't know that? The problem is that I can't. I don't sleep, I don't eat, I can hardly even work anymore, and it's all because of him. I keep thinking if there were something I could do to win him, I'd do it. Anything."

"In the end, it's going to be up to him. I don't think there's really anything you can do."

"Not going to give me any charm lessons, huh?"

"You don't need it. Aurors always get straight O's on their N.E.W.Ts."

By the look on Fleur's face, Tonks could see that she hadn't understood. She clarified. "Actually I meant the other kind of charm. Like, you know, charisma. Personality and all that. I'm not desperate enough to put a love spell or something on him. Yet."

"I don't think you need charm lessons, and from what I hear, I'm not the best teacher. Though if you want lessons on walking up stairs, I could probably help."

Tonks smiled weakly. "No matter what the Weasleys say, you've certainly just become one of them."

"Why do you say that?"

"It's sort of a rite of passage. Everyone in the family has offered me walking lessons at least once."


End file.
